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3381 Route 322 ● Brookville, PA 15825 Email: RosevilleChapel@alltel.net Phone: 814-849-0817 Jim Fillhart, Pastor |
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The Roseville Chapel was built in 1896 as a Young Peoples Christian Endeavor Hall (Y. P. C. E. Hall), a descendent of the Bethel Church which had its beginning in Port Barnett in 1809. Some history on the old Bethel Church is that communion services were held in the home of Peter Jones. Robert McGarraugh administered the supper. He was the pastor of LIcking and Rehoboth now in Clarion County. He came to the Clarion region as a licentiate of the Presbytery of Redstone, in the fall of 1803. After some years, religious services were held in the house of Samuel Jones, five miles west of Brookville. Services were then fully organized in a school house on a hill above the U.P. Jefferson Church south of Brookville and near to the house of Samuel Jones. That seems to have been in 1824, and it was known as the Bethel Presbyterian Church and was recognized as a separate congregation by the Allegheny Presbytery as reported to the Synod of Pittsburgh. A dispute arose and they wanted to move the church to a good road. They called on Rev. Robert McGarraugh to help them establish a place and after the service, Rev. McGarraugh said, "All those in favor of going to the stare road, follow me". The located was selected three miles west of Brookville near Susquehanna and Waterford Turnpike. The property stood to the right of the Waterford Turnpike road as one goes toward Clarion near the Bethel Cemetery (the Cemetery still remains today). The location was settled and the Church was erected in the fall of 1824 and dedicated as the first Presbyterian Church in Jefferson County. The Church was constructed of small logs closely notched together, had a dirt floor, and the seats consisted of slabs or blocks of wood. A board on two posts made the pulpit stand. Rev. William Kennedy was the first supply in this Bethel Presbyterian Church from October 13, 1825, to April, 1827, for half of his time. Services were held in the Bethel Presbyterian Church as late as August, 1831, especially to administer the Lords Supper by Rev. Cyrus Riggs, April 1827-April 1829, and the third Sunday of August at his discretion. Rev. Cyrus Riggs and Rev. John Core were appointed to administer the Lords Supper on the third Sabbath of August 1831. Rev. Core preached that same year at discretion. The Bethel Presbyterian church burned sometime between 1832 and 1833. It was understood a that time all those east of the Bethel Church Road would go to Brookville and those who lived west would go to Pisgah in Corsica.
Brookville was selected as the county seat of Jefferson County in 1829 and the town was laid out in 1830. A jail was built in 1831 and the Court House in 1832. The Bethel Congregation met first in the jail then in the Court House for Sunday School and Church and continued there until 1842 when the first Brookville Presbyterian Church building was finished and dedicated. At this time, Brookville dropped the name Bethel from the mother church.
Five colonies have organized from the Bethel Church (parent organization:)
On July 2, 1833, the Bethel Congregation organized as a separate congregation with the title of "The Presbyterian Church of Pisgah" at Corsica.
The Roseville Chapel had been considered part of the Presbyterian Church by Presbytery until we became independent in 1973.
The start of our church today was the C.E. Hall, built in 1896, close by the Lakes to Sea Highway and surrounded on the east by trees. The purpose of the Young Peoples Christian Endeavor Hall (C.E. Hall) was to h old Christian Endeavor, Sunday School, Preaching of the Gospel and other beneficial meetings for the good moral training of the youth, and it has been continued ever since. Six trustees of the Society met on May 4, 1896, with Mrs. Mary M. Love. She donated one half (1/2) acre lot west of the Roseville School lot for (1) one dollar to the trustees in office and to their successors. The men and women of the community came out to help raise the money and construct the building. On July 1, 1896, the building was finished, painted, papered and furnished with 200 chairs. The first meeting was held the evening of July 8, 1896, with Reverend Frank Britt conducting the service. A special program was held on December 17, 1896, with prayer by Rev. Frank Britt. A report by the Treasurer, Harvey D. Haugh, was given showing the cost of the building to be $802.00, and a balance left of $8.07. A vote of thanks was given to all the people who helped in anyway toward the building in labor, money gifts, food and etc. An address was given by Mrs. W. B. Cowan and response was given by Mrs. F. P. Britt, the ministers wife. Special prayers and addresses were given by Rev. Britt, Joseph Matson, J.M. Millen and others. The choir furnished good music throughout the evening.
Rev. Britt had previously conducted services at the Oaks School and the Roseville School before the Christian Endeavor Hall was built as our people could not travel the distance to the Pisgah Church in Corsica. At that time, Officers were elected for 6 month terms because they couldn't meet during the winter months as they had no heat in the school houses. The people met on the 3rd Sunday of March each year and had services until the last Sunday of September or the 1st Sunday of October. The Sunday School would reorganize each year and had four classes. Adult, Young Men, Young Ladies, and Primary Girls/Boys.
Rev. Britt continued ministering to the C.E. Hall and the Oaks School until just before his death on February 6, 1909. More than one denomination used the C.E. Hall for a few years from 1912-1915.
The women, children, and men all took part in Christian Endeavor Services. They had active members, associate members and junior on the roll. 7 different committees:
The Christian Endeavor Services had a different leader each service who read scripture or had responsive reading. They did a lot of singing. Question Topic Cards were read, often by the Junior Class, and three or four adults (usually men), were called on to answer the questions.
In 1914, a small porch with a roof was built over the front door at a cost of $32.00 and a new coat of paint was added. In 1929, new chimneys were built for the coal stoves, and 200 chairs were purchased for $300.00. In 1938, one gas stove was purchased to replace one of the coal stoves. In the 1940s, a building fund was raised for the moving of the C. E. Hall back from the road several feet, a choir loft, materials for an addition to the Hall, shingles for the outside and labor which amounted to $5,191.54. A new roof was also needed and was donated. The moving of the Hall was done in June of 1947. In November, 1947, a furnace was installed at the cost of $650.00 and wiring was done in the basement in 1948. On November 16, 1954, a motion was made at the Trustees Meeting to change the name of the Y.P.C.E. Hall to The Roseville Chapel. Also, in 1954, Mr. Robert A. Aiken willed a sum of money to The Roseville Chapel. It was in a separate account and $15.00 was added each month as interest. In 1959 to 1995, many new things were accomplished: a new piano, pews, lights, kitchen cabinets, 2 dozen chairs for the basement, new floors upstairs and downstairs, carpet, railings for the front and back entrances, parking space enlarged, cushions for pews, painting done outside and inside, new roof, carpeted ramp, outside light, shrubs, PA system, ceiling fans, telephone installed, new hymnals, digging out of basement for new addition to the back of church, new furnace, and cordless microphone.
Pastor Jim, his wife Sue and their
children Jakob, Luke and Jenna came to the church in June of 2003 on
apart time basis. The Lord blessed the congregation and on April 25th
2004 we went full time at the church the church has grown from 29
members to 145 average Sunday morning worship service attendees.
This is Pastor Jim and families first pastorate position.
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